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Kept in Exeter Cathedral's own library the book has been at the Cathedral since the mid 11th century.

It was the gift of Exeter's first bishop Leofric and contains some 40 poems of different lengths of different types and ages.

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The book has been at Exeter Cathedral since the mid 11th century

GETTY

The book contains some 40 poems of different lengths of different types and ages

Significantly it also includes nearly 100 poetic riddles which are virtually all that survive in Old English.

Literary manuscripts in Old English, Anglo-Saxon, are extremely rare, only four survive in the world

Peter Thomas

Exeter Cathedral Librarian Peter Thomas said: “Literary manuscripts in Old English, Anglo-Saxon, are extremely rare, only four survive in the world, and the Exeter Book is the most varied, the best preserved and probably the oldest of them. “

“It is the foundation volume not only of the Cathedral Library but also arguably of English literature itself one of the major contributions to world culture."

The Dean of Exeter Cathedral, Very Rev Jonathan Draper, said: “We are immensely proud and honoured to house the Exeter Book in Exeter Cathedral.

“It is wonderful that its huge importance to English literature and history has been recognised by UNESCO in this way.”